BusinessWorld B-Side

After several months, the coronavirus pandemic is still wreaking havoc on supply chains. Rosemarie P. Rafael, chair and president of express courier company Airspeed Philippines, tells reporter Arjay L. Balinbin that the price war sparked by the growing number of players in the last-mile delivery space is unsustainable. "It will not last," she said, "Operational excellence... cannot be supported i...

The latest official labor data showed that the jobless rate shot up to double-digits, as millions of Filipinos became unemployed. The Philippine Statistics Agency reported that as of April 2020, there were around 7.3 million jobless Filipinos.  Jobstreet, an online platform that has around 42,000 listings, saw two million visitors checking out their website from April to June. If you’re looki...

Political analyst Dr. Robin Michael Garcia talks about the issues affecting Philippine attitudes toward China, among them the coronavirus pandemic and the increasing tension in the West Philippine Sea.  Because of this maritime dispute, the Duterte administration suspended the termination of the country’s visiting forces agreement with the United States. On top of this, the Department of Fore...

The academic year is about to start. Universities and colleges are shifting to remote learning as physical classrooms all across the world have shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. During his address, President Rodrigo R. Duterte said that face-to-face classes would be allowed only when a vaccine becomes available. We don’t really know when that is.  Raymundo D. Rovillos, chancellor of...

We’ve been consuming a lot more content since the pandemic left us housebound. Filmmakers are streaming their films on YouTube and similar platforms, giving us hours of entertainment.  But how is the entertainment industry itself doing? Adolfo Alix Jr., the award-winning film director behind films like Mater Dolorosa and Circa , says that the virus has left entertainment workers vulnerable. M...

According to James Lette, executive director of Manila Angel Investors Network, much of the Philippine startup ecosystem is close to the point of bankruptcy or closure.  "A collapse in consumer demand, an inability to provide services during the Extended Community Quarantine period, and soaring corporate late payment rates as cash flows tighten have significantly affected startup revenues and...

The local fitness industry was booming before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, with international chains and small fitness studios popping up to satisfy the demand for health and wellness.  When the country was placed under lockdown to contain the pandemic, the industry — which relies on foot traffic —  ground to a halt.  In this episode, Gab Pangalangan, marketing manager of UFC Gym Phil...

Without a sentinel surveillance system, tech entrepreneurs Paul Rivera and Danny Castonguay believe that the country is flying blind when it comes to the coronavirus outbreak. "We're just guessing. And guessing is a dangerous game when people's lives are at stake," said Mr. Castonguay. Those who are tasked with protecting us need reliable numbers and a way to process those numbers in order to iden...

Bain & Company, a management consulting firm based in the United States, said that the Philippines might benefit in global efforts to diversify supply chains and focus on business process outsourcing to cope with the economic decline brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year was a challenging year for private equity firms in Southeast Asia, with deal value slipping to $12 billion from...

Artificial intelligence (AI) may be the key to helping the Philippine economy get back on its feet. Without sufficient technology and automation in place, high-touch human operations are paralyzed. As the world recovers, it will require a re-imagination of human and business processes to future-proof against the next crisis. In this episode, BusinessWorld reporter Jenina Ibanez speaks with Dong Sh...

Health experts are still learning how the coronavirus attacks the human body. What they do know is that COVID-19 is a serious infectious disease that hits multiple organs, most commonly the lungs — which are called “ground zero” of the disease. From there, the virus can spread to a patient's heart, kidneys, and brain. In areas of the world where there is a lack of adequate access to testing, imagi...

COVID-19 has exposed how fragile the agriculture sector is. Local farmers are among the hardest hit by the pandemic and the protracted crisis is putting a strain on the country's food supply chains. Magsasaka Party-List Representative Argel Joseph T. Cabatbat and BusinessWorld reporter Genshen L. Espedido talk about the consequences of the delays in modernizing our rice farms and why we should aim...

The COVID-19 pandemic ended a 21-year growth streak in the Philippine economy as strict lockdown measures aimed at containing the coronavirus outbreak brought economic activity to a near standstill.  Shortly after Q1 GDP data was released in early May, Research Head Leo Uy asked Geoffrey Ducanes, an Associate Professor at the Ateneo de Manila University Department of Economics, and Sarah Lynn...

After two months in lockdown, Philippine cities are slowly opening up to a new reality,  Management consulting firm McKinsey and Company recently released a report titled “Beyond coronavirus: The path to the next normal” that defined this “new reality,” this “next normal” as a time when “we will witness a dramatic restructuring of the economic and social order in which business and society ha...

According to 2017 data from the World Bank, only 34% of Filipinos have bank accounts. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas wants to bring this figure up to 70% by 2023. Because of the pandemic and the resulting lockdown, the need for financial inclusion and access to banking services has become more urgent.  BusinessWorld reporter Luz Wendy Noble speaks with Pia Roman Tayag, managing director of t...

The enhanced community quarantine is set to be lifted. And with the lifting of the lockdown comes the potential resurgence of COVID-19 cases—the dreaded second wave we keep hearing about.  How ready are our hospitals to deal with the probable influx of patients needing urgent care?  In this episode, SparkUp multimedia reporter Patricia Mirasol speaks to Equilife Medical founder Abetina V...

The Philippine stock market is trying to recover from its worst drop in eight years. Due to COVID-19, the outlook of the economy is dim and the future is uncertain. According to Philstocks Financial senior research analyst Japhet Tantiangco, there is a silver lining to this volatile situation. In this episode, Mr. Tantiangco takes BusinessWorld reporter Denise A. Valdez through the basics of the s...

The symptoms of COVID-19 differ from patient to patient. Some people get sicker than others. Some die. Some live. PH 377 lived.  PH 377, who spoke to BusinessWorld reporter Vann Villegas on the condition of anonymity, shares his brush with death and the epiphany he had while confined in the hospital.  This episode was recorded remotely on April 17, more than two weeks after PH 377 tested...

The work-from-home era has begun. Straits Interactive Philippines Country Manager Edwin A. Concepcion tells BusinessWorld reporter Arjay L. Balinbin how an increase in telecommuting entails an even greater need to adhere to data protection regulations.  In this episode, Mr. Concepcion sheds light on emerging data privacy challenges in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic and how innovators can p...

The people who are supposed to be taking care of us are falling sick and dying from COVID-19. Anna Adora, a cardiologist at Philippine Heart Center and National Kidney and Transplant Institute, describes the situation in these two government hospitals and reminds us that social distancing is still the best way to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.   This episode was recorded on April 2...

Mental health is this generation's battle—even more so now, while the country is on lockdown, and people are either self-isolating or self-quarantining as the world tries to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.  Awareness of mental health issues has reduced the stigma of seeking help and treatment. However, it is still an issue that a hundred-odd million Filipinos have only 600 psychiatrists in t...

While Luzon is on lockdown, let WanderManila head tour guide Benjamin Canapi tell you about his love affair with the City of Manila. This historical city has been a venue for international trade for 400 years. It bore witness to Spanish colonial rule, the Japanese regime, and the Second World War.  Mr. "B. Canapi," who has done walking tours since 2012, chats with Arts and Leisure reporter Mi...

Recorded before Luzon was locked down, this episode picks apart data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority. BusinessWorld Research Head Leo Uy and economist Dr. Raul Fabella talk about the Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries, the Labor Force Survey, and the importance of the manufacturing sector to the country’s long-term growth.    They also talk about the possibl...

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) is ready to investigate price-fixing cartels and anti-competitive behavior by inspecting company premises uninvited. Now, they want to take on these surprise visits without the required court order. PCC’s Orlando P. Polinar tells BusinessWorld reporter Jenina Ibañez about the importance of surprising companies, and defends the commission’s access to priv...

Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chair and CEO Mary Liza Diño addresses the issues faced by the movie industry, including developing audiences via local film festivals, and safeguarding film workers following the death of actor Eddie Garcia in 2019. Ms. Diño also tells  Zsarlene B. Chua, Arts and Leisure reporter, her plans for the final three years of her term.  T...